Kennedy Wesley’s First International Goal Sparks Usa To Win Over Japan

Kennedy Wesley scored her first world extremity and had an assistance aft entering arsenic a substitution aft halftime, Naomi Girma and Rose Lavelle each added a extremity and nan United States hit Japan 3-0 successful a friends Friday night.

Claudia Dickey had 3 saves for nan United States.

Wesley, who replaced Tierna Davidson, played a header from nan near station to Girma, who headed location nan decorativeness from point-blank scope to make it 1-0 successful nan 47th minute.

“I felt we came retired successful nan 2nd half and location was nary coming back, to beryllium honest,” United States coach Emma Hayes said.

Davidson took a difficult autumn successful nan 30th and was evaluated for a fewer minutes, but was capable to decorativeness nan first half.

Lavelle gave nan United States a 2-0 lead successful nan 56th minute. After Japan was dispossessed adjacent midfield, Trinity Rodman played a done shot to Lavelle, who outraced nan defense down nan mediate of nan section and slipped a changeable from nan separator of nan punishment container wrong nan near post.

“I felt coming we were conscionable objective successful nan last third,” Hayes said.

Lavelle has played a domiciled successful 10 scores – 5 goals and 5 assists – successful her past 10 games.

Wesley scored her connected a volley disconnected a area footwear played successful by Jaedyn Shaw to make it 3-0 successful nan 64th minute.

“I really don’t person immoderate words,” Wesley said. “I mean, it was nan cleanable shot from Jaedyn and I was conscionable successful nan correct spot astatine nan correct time.

“I’m conscionable complete nan moon.”

The United States outshot Japan 9-1 successful nan first half, but nan crippled was a scoreless necktie astatine halftime.

Japan’s Miyabi Moriya replaced Hikaru Kitagawa, who was carried disconnected by trainers pinch an wounded successful nan 25th minute.

The crippled was played successful temperatures hovering astir freezing astatine Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, location of nan Colorado Rapids successful MLS. Snowfall earlier successful nan time covered nan section respective hours earlier nan game.

It was nan last lucifer of an different three-game bid against Japan. The United States won nan first past week successful San Jose, California, 2-1.

Japan won nan 2nd 1-0 successful Seattle connected Tuesday night, snapping a 10-game US winning streak. The United States hadn’t mislaid since falling 2-1 to Portugal connected 23 October past year. The Americans hadn’t been unopen retired successful 42 games.

Hayes swapped her full starting lineup successful nan 2nd crippled arsenic nan squad develops its subordinate excavation for World Cup qualifying later this year. It was nan 4th clip successful Hayes’ tenure that she started a wholly different lineup successful consecutive games.

Japan was coming disconnected a title tally successful nan Women’s Asian Cup. The squad outscored its opponents 29-1 and defeated hosts Australia 1-0 successful nan final.

Known for their method prowess, nan Japanese besides defeated nan United States successful past year’s SheBelieves Cup.

“They’re a world-class team,” Hayes said heading into Friday night’s game. “I deliberation erstwhile you triumph nan first one, inevitably, nan 2nd 1 becomes that challenge. They are a apical side, truthful we person to springiness them a batch of credit. So, crippled connected for nan 3rd game.”